While the Northern Michigan University and University of Alaska-Fairbanks hockey teams have run up unbeaten streaks to begin 2013, the CCHA’s marque schools since 1981 have taken up residence in the basement of the league standings.

Alaska is unbeaten in its last five contests dating back to Dec. 8 when it tied Bowling Green State in Fairbanks. In 2013, the Nanooks have swept Michigan in Ann Arbor and Notre Dame in South Bend.

Both the Wildcats and Nanooks have benefited greatly from their recent runs both in the CCHA standings and PairWise rankings.

Yes, I just used Wildcats and PairWise in the same sentence and by Wildcats, I’m referring to Northern Michigan University. Stick with me here.

On Jan. 2, NMU sat tied for last place in the CCHA with Bowling Green having accumulated only 10 points in two wins and three ties in 14 league games. As for the PairWise, NMU wasn’t anywhere in the picture.

The Nanooks weren’t doing much hotter in the CCHA standings on the second day of 2013, sitting tied for seventh with Michigan at 16 points via four wins and three ties in 14 league games with trips to Notre Dame and Michigan on the horizon. Like NMU, Alaska wasn’t on anyone’s PairWise radar.

So it’s not just unbeaten streaks on the line, but improbable postseason runs that seemed impossible back on New Years Eve 2012, when NMU head coach Walt Kyle was giving his special teams a failing grade.